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Our UK Staycation at The Glorious Playground – The Gleneagles Hotel | Review

We are back after a beautiful break away in Scotland!

Though Gleneagles is most famously known for its championship golf courses and two Michelin-starred restaurants as well as being a Scottish landmark, it is also a huge picturesque playground for kids as well as adults!

It is by far one of the most luxurious hotels we have stayed at from the elegant and detailed decor to the incredible service we received throughout our stay. Nothing was ever too much!

Let’s start with prior to reaching the hotel. We had booked the Bahamas and Gleneagles for the same dates to ensure we managed a get away without covid holding us back any longer! We ended up cancelling the Bahamas as we didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of a long haul flight just yet. To be honest, whilst at Gleneagles we didn’t once think about where “we were meant to be” because it was that magnificent!

Gleneagles is nestled in Auchterarder not too far from Glasgow. It’s about 45 minutes away from the picturesque Loch Lomond.

On our arrival, we were greeted by the friendliest doormen and our breath was instantly taken away by the beautiful building and its surroundings.

We were sent a text message from the hotel team on arrival and I pretty much used that as a means to communicate everything and anything with the hotel from changing Playground activity times to dining reservations to finding a local GP (I forgot my medication at home and they were so helpful in getting it arranged for me in a Scotland!). I really loved the text service as it was simple and quick.

There are so many “favourite things” I had at Gleneagles but my most favourite was the decor. From the high ceilings to the wall cladding, from the picture railings to the beautiful array of textures used to dress every nook and cranny of this impressive country building, it was absolutely stunning. It reminded me of a palace. The finer details didn’t go unnoticed – even the fluffy slippers and velvet headboard oozed luxury! Every space within the hotel has a unique style and decor but the same homely and grand palace feel. Both Preetam and I couldn’t get enough of the intricate details in the decor.

We stayed in a family deluxe room which came with a spacious master bedroom with lounge area, a bathroom and a separate room with a bunk bed and lounge area for the kids. There is even a dog bed and dog bowls for those wanting to bring their fur babies. There was ample storage (3 wardrobes!) for all four of us. Again, the room was incredibly cosy with a very royal and luxurious feel. The bathroom comes with two sinks, a bath and a shower. The boys absolutely loved their bedroom and loved the novelty of having their own television. In the evenings Preetam and I also got to enjoy our own choice of TV – the in room entertainment is brilliant. We managed to watch at least 7 films during our 5 night stay from the comfort of our super comfortable bed!

There are no words for how stunning the grounds are. From the beautiful Kitchen Garden (which I basically would love my garden to look like 😂) to the well kept landscaped open space – it was Saajan’s first time in such a huge open space since learning to walk and he LOVED it! The PGA golf course is stunning and even if you aren’t there for golf, it’s a beautiful walk with gorgeous views.

Arj, who is usually reluctant to walk, loved the grounds and would request the usual route of seeing the birds of prey and the resident gundogs before walking past the lake and fountain.

We managed to do up to 20,000 steps some days without even trying! The grounds are so grand that you end up exercising without realising. A great way to burn off the delicious food! 😉

The food at the property was of a great standard. We had breakfast daily at The Strathearn or The Glendevon. All meals are ordered a la carte and the presentation and taste were spot on. I loved the poached eggs on avocado topped sourdough and the orange juice was delicious! Our favourite spot to sit was the orangery in The Strathearn- the stunning hand painted walls, huge windows and high ceilings are breathtaking. The Glendevon was equally as beautiful. Both spaces boast a view of the beautiful grounds.

As we were with the children, we wanted to book easy and accessible restaurants. Nothing too fancy! We had dinner at The Dormy Clubhouse three times and the Birnham Brasserie once.

The Dormy Clubhouse caters pretty well to vegetarians from fresh stone baked pizzas to an Indian menu to vegetarian haggis! We were able to visit on several occasions without repeating our food though Preetam did have vegetarian haggis more than once as he loved it so much! We thoroughly enjoyed the food at this restaurant and the service was also great.

The Birnham Brasserie is right up my street decor wise. With beautiful greenery, tiled floors and a conservatory style setting. Preetam and the boys loved the pasta here but for me, I’d have welcomed a little more flavour!

Both restaurants offer a kids menu with a great selection of choices.

We also went for the Peter Rabbit themed afternoon tea at The Strathern. The vegetarian choices were the best we’ve had at an afternoon tea and my personal favourite were the vegetarian sausage rolls!

We often enjoyed a mid afternoon sweet treat with a cuppa at The Garden Cafe – a relaxed and casual lunch and tea time spot. I’d recommend the scones and the triple chocolate cookie!

As mentioned, Gleneagles prides itself as being a Glorious Playground with so many activities available at their stunning grounds for kids and adults alike. We decided to partake in a few activities on offer and when we weren’t doing an activity, you could find us playing the garden games on the lawn – such a fun (and it’s free!) way to play as a family.

Prior to us arriving, we liaised with the Playground planners who were more than happy to help us plan our stay. They were efficient and really helpful. We had to book our swimming slots prior to our arrival due to covid. Again, this was easily done via an email. You can book your swim slots up to one month in advance of your stay.

There are several activities on offer for a fee including tree climbing, zip lining, off reading (for kids and adults), tennis, golf lessons, fishing and falconry lessons. You are also able to hire bikes for the family free of charge.

The boys had three horse riding lessons while we resided at the hotel. It was both of their first time on a horse and the staff were amazing. Olivia led Arjun on all three sessions and he is now able to utilise basic commands such as go, stop, left, right and trot. The horse riding school is RDA registered and Jane, the expert, in particular was amazing with Saajan. Amy and Jane led Saajan on each session and from his first session where he was nervous to even stroke Super Sue to his third session where he confidentially held the reigns and his posture beautifully, we were all so proud – staff included! They were incredibly patient and gentle with Saajan ensuring they gently eased him in to feeling comfortable with his pony. Both the boys grew quite an attachment to their ponies – Paddy and Sue and I’m sure we’ll be back to see them again!

We also had a family gundog training session. We had a great time but felt it was overpriced for what it was. The boys walked their dogs – Raven and Jess and then we were shown how they retrieve items finally followed by an obstacle course. Shannon our instructor was really lovely and again so patient.

As mentioned, the hotel is most famously known for its golf course. Though we didn’t play golf on the PGA course (we did long walks through it though!), we did play Pitch and Putt on the smaller golf course. It’s complimentary and on the hotel grounds. The boys also enjoyed playing. I am definitely in need of practice! Haha!

When residing at Gleneagles, you are offered a complimentary one hour session per child in Little Glen (age 2-8 years), the kids club, daily. On previous holidays, Arjun has always been hesitant to go to kids club but here he asked to go daily. They loved being there! There is also Little Den which is for older children. Saajan asked to go to kids club every day too. The staff are so kind and welcoming.

The heated swimming pool is a great size and currently they allow a maximum of 46 people in at any time. Our first trip was great as the pool wasn’t too busy but the subsequent trips were a little busy. Nevertheless the kids had a great time. It is also wheelchair friendly. They have done extremely well to manage the current covid situation. You are asked to come in your swimwear with your hotel gown and slippers on for your allocated slot. You are given a basket to remove your items by the pool and once done, you pop your robe and slippers back on and return back to your rooms. It worked really well and reduced the traffic.

There is also an arcade and small shopping area within the hotel offering clothing and other items. There is a “corner shop” which includes items such as basic toiletries and sweeties. On the lawn, there is also a tuck shop offering ice cream sundaes and iced drinks – a nice touch located right by the lawn garden games.

All in all, we had an absolutely fantastic stay at The Gleneagles and are already planning our next trip! As well as the stunning grounds, impressive architecture and decor, the staff are truly what make this a magical stay. They were all incredibly friendly, warm and welcoming and always offering to help!

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The Taj Bentota Resort & Spa Sri Lanka with Two Kids for February Half Term | Review

We had the most spectacular stay at the Taj Bentota Resort and Spa during the February half term. It was a much needed relaxing break from the chaos of our lives amidst EHCP and projects we have going on! Prior to leaving, I liaised with members of staff at the hotel via email to ensure our requirements were understood. They were really helpful and informative. On arrival, after a two hour drive from the airport, guests are presented with a fresh flower garland and welcome drink by warm welcoming faces. Check in was quick and easy. The hotel has lovely marble decor providing a cool and refreshing feel. We stayed in a Junior Suite (room 309) and were instantly wowed. It was by far one of our favourite hotel rooms and we enjoyed relaxing in the spacious and airy room. There was a good sized living area which the boys loved chilling in between swimming sessions and dinner times. The large bedroom comfortably fit a cot and a comfy king sized bed and also had a private balcony. The bathroom was a good size and the shower pressure was brilliant – perfect for washing my thick hair! My only qualm for the suite was the lack of storage space for the four of us but I was really pleased with the dresser and ample space for make up and toiletries! The bedroom had a cot and baby bath tub ready for our arrival. There were plenty of plug socket points in the room. The huge balcony boasted a panoramic view of the beautiful sea and came equipped with two sunbeds and a sofa. Room service were always very thorough with cleaning and once we’d informed them of our preferred times for our daily clean and turndown service, it was always done on time. We celebrated our 8 year anniversary while away and were treated to a beautiful chocolate cake by the hotel. It was divine! There is a buffet restaurant, The Palms, at the hotel as well as several speciality restaurants however we only dined at the buffet restaurant for ease with the kids. Breakfast is also served here. The breakfast selection was impressive and the food quality was brilliant. From masala dosas, to hashbrowns to aloo Puri to Gobi paratha to donuts and fruit … There is so so much to choose from! On holiday I usually end up overindulging but this holiday as the quality was so so good, I found I’d eat less but enjoy it so much more. Dinner at The Palms included such a great high quality variety. It wasn’t packed with non nutritious food like chips, pizza and pasta everyday. Instead we got to try many new dishes such as the Sri Lankan cuisine The boys are a whole variety of food while also being treated to their home comforts. The most delicious pudding for me was the hot chocolate dessert and the chocolate mousse – yum! As well as the property itself being beautiful, it’s really important to note that several staff members made our stay really special. Head Chef, Dalip, couldn’t do enough to make our stay more perfect. He’d ask us daily what our children would like to eat and he took the stress out of meal times being a faff. He lovingly prepared them fresh food be it paratha or cheese dosa and meal times became like a home away from home. We were also treated to some spectacular dishes by Dalip including aloo papri chaat, fresh gajjar Ka halva and chilli paneer – they were absolutely delicious! There were a few members of staff who seemed less than interested in their jobs and there was one incident where I requested a cup of tea three times and still didn’t receive it however the hospitality of the others mentioned more than made up for it! It was by far one of our best holidays because there wasn’t much fuss food wise with the boys and it also helped that Saajan’s meal times have massively improved! The swimming pool area was really pleasant. There is a large pool accompanied by a kids splash pool. Given we went during half term, I expected it to be very crowded but it didn’t feel too packed. Sampath ensured we had sunbeds daily and really took care of us – a true gem! Chamara was also really friendly and accommodating. There was a really great balance of poolside entertainment and it wasn’t too intrusive – for example during the aqua aerobics class, there was no loud music blaring making it peaceful for those that were relaxing. Menaka was always a good laugh with hosting pool side entertainment. The poolside menu was impressive and catered well to vegetarians from falafel wraps, to veggie burgers to Greek salads and pizzas. It wasn’t always easy to get hold of a waiter but once ordered, the wait time wasn’t too long. Our favourite and most helpful waiter was Roshan. He was always so jolly and kind despite working in such hot conditions. Again, Dalip was great at accomodating the boys if there was something they fancied that wasn’t included on the menu. Bentota beach is really beautiful – miles of untouched sand however the sea is quite tough and the red flag is flying everyday due to a strong under current. There are no sunbeds at the beach by the Taj however you are able to hire them for a cost without an umbrella. The boys loved spending time at the beach building sandcastle. Preetam and I managed to sneak in a date night – the perks of having the grandparents and masi to hand! We enjoyed a beautiful meal at Malli’s which is situated a short walking distance from the hotel. After, we enjoyed drinks and pool at the Tease Bar at the hotel. There is not much to do in Bentota which was ok for us as we were after a relaxing holiday. A few of the outings we had included: • Temple with a huge Buddha statue. It was impressive and about a 10 minute journey by tuk tuk. • Turtle sanctuary which is a few kilometres walk along the beach. Arjun enjoyed this a lot. • Bentota market – it’s a few shops selling similar items. We didn’t purchase anything. • Bentota river boat cruise and saw a few crocs and held a baby crocodile. Our time at the Taj Bentota was most definitely one of our most relaxing holidays. The casual dress code, delicious food, not being over packed and the friendly staff who went over and beyond for us made it what it was! Disclosure: This is a collaboration post in exchange for a double upgrade however all views expressed are my own.
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Our Kenyan Safari Adventure with Two Kids in the Masai Mara at the Elewana Sand River Camp | Review

Wow oh wow! I have no idea how I’m going to articulate the most incredible experience of our life to date, but I’m going to give it a go! For years, Preetam and I have wanted to go on a safari – we both love animals and are constantly intrigued by wildlife. Given both our parents origins are from Africa, it felt natural to want to visit. I’m not sure why it took us so long to take the plunge to go – perhaps the scaremongering stories you hear which actually aren’t stories just “what ifs” or it was the fear of not knowing how the boys would react. Would Arjun be terrified of live lions? Would Saajan understand to stay quiet or would he panic and make lots of noise? What if they got sick? My dad has visited many safari parks around the world and has become addicted and goes yearly since the last six years. When he suggested we just do it, something in me changed. Perhaps it’s watching Saajan over the last two years prove me wrong in so many ways. The sickness side – we’ve traveled around the world and we’ve been ok so I figured if we took all the precautions (yellow fever jab, typhoid jab and malaria tablets and mosquito deterrent) that should cover that fear. Where the boys were concerned, I reasoned with myself that it wasn’t for ME to decide how they’d react. That I couldn’t write them off before even trying! We decided to fly as soon as the summer holidays hit as July is perfect to watch migration. I’d spotted the Elewana Sand River lodges a while ago and had my heart set on staying there. I didn’t realise at the time that the camp is unfenced and that there are wild animals roaming free! I had a mini panic on finding out a few days before departure but knew that the camp wouldn’t be around if it wasn’t safe! Upon arriving in Kenya, we took a small plane to the air strip in Masai Mara. It’s about a 40 minute flight and the views as you jet over the Mara fill you with excitement as you catch the breathtaking view of wildebeest in large herds following each other like an amry of ants from the birds eye view. As we landed, we were instantly welcomed by three gorgeous giraffes walking elegantly in the distance. We were welcomed by Alex who warmly greeted us with cold towels, a selection of fresh juices and snacks as we took in our surroundings. I couldn’t believe we were actually there! Our safari adventure had began! We opted for an open vehicle making us as close to the animals as possible! We wanted nothing obscuring our view. Alex drove us through the Mara to the camp frequently stopping as we basked in the beauty of mother nature. The kids were so excited, I was so surprised by their reaction! Saajan eagerly waved at the Zebras who were a stone’s throw away from the vehicle and blew kisses at the wildebeest. I couldn’t believe it. I was consumed by emotion as I watched my littlest cub take everything in his stride – how did I ever doubt him? We arrived at the camp and were greeted with a warm smile by Frances – one of the general managers. Throughout our stay, after each game drive, we were greeted by the manager on duty. It gave a really warm feel to the camp. There didn’t seem to be a divide between management and staff – they all equally rely on each other for different expertise and it’s something that is really valued there. After a spot of lunch, we were shown to our tents. They oozed luxury with their gorgeous four poster bed, lounge area and a spacious bathroom. There was also a decking area right outside the bedroom which overlooked the Sand river. As mentioned, the camp is unfenced meaning that animals are free to roam so there is constant security to protect guests. Elewana Sand River is literally where luxury meets nature. Once the sun goes down, a ranger accompanies you on your walk to your room for safety. We were located in room 7 and it was quite a walk from the reception and dining area. Not going to pretend that that walk each night wasn’t possibly the most nerve wracking feeling ever! We were told that rangers often encounter lions and elephants roaming during the night (it’s ok for them to do so during the night while guests are asleep). Each day we were taken on a game drive at 6am and 4pm. Alex was our guide throughout and he literally became like family catering to our every need with such warmth. He would bring hot chocolate with us for our game drives knowing we loved a hot drink. The boys took to him so well and Arjun still misses him. He was so brilliant at answering all our questions and providing us with a story behind what was happening. For example on our first evening game drive, in the dark he spotted two lions, one lion appeared injured – he told us that they were probably brothers and that the uninjured lion would be looking for food for his brother knowing that his injured brother won’t survive without. The next morning, we witnessed the injured brother feasting on a fresh kill provided by his brother. It was fascinating. Alex was armed with a wealth of knowledge and you could truly see his love for the animals and his interest. The guides communicate with each other when there is a sighting which is particularly helpful in ensuring your time is maximised. Game drives typically last 2-3 hours however on our second day we were out in the morning for 7 hours! We had no idea how much time had passed as we were in awe of our sightings. The boys behaved beautifully and didn’t need the entertainment or distraction of anything else. Some of the wonderful things we got to see included: Watching the injured lion eat the kill close up (we were literally a few feet from him) and watching the vultures line up for when he was done and the stalks lining up behind the vultures for their turn! It was truly remarkable to witness the pecking order of the jungle Seeing crocodiles and hippos respecting each other in the Mara River Watching monkeys pinch our lunch at the camp! Watching a female cheetahs and her cubs – witnessing the mother scower for a kill and getting ready to pounce Watching two male lions offer their advances to a lioness by marking their scent. She responded with a loud roar to which Saajan roared back Hearing a lion roar in real life Watching a heard of elephants eat – fascinating to watch them use their trunks! Watching a lioness go for the kill – I’d always assumed it was easy, but unfortunately she failed as was outnumbered and got tired chasing the wildebeest We were fortunate enough to spot a giant cobra a few feet from us Watching young lions reunite with their mother – it was so playful and heartwarming and reminded me of how the boys are when we all get in to bed for snuggles Watching two young lions play like Simba and Nala A leopard guarding her kill with a panoramic view from the top of a tree Seeing a heard of wildebeest in their thousands migrate across the sand river Witnessing snarly hyenas As part of their all inclusive service, the camp also offers unlimited laundry which I wish I’d known before as I’d have packed a lot lighter! We packed several layers including costs, hats and scarves for the children as the mornings and evenings were pretty cold. Alex also provided us with shawls to keep us warm. We also chose to visit a local Masai tribe as part of our 3 night stay. It was so humbling to see how the tribe live and how content and happy they are. The food was top quality and they did a brilliant job at catering to our vegetarian needs. They even made my mum an eggless 60th birthday cake and the fun filled staff all joined together to perform a little dance to the famous Jambo song to mark the special occasion! We had breakfast in the bush twice and the experience was magical. Alex set up a table and chairs, crockery and cutlery and we had delicious hot food and tea and coffee while enjoying the backdrop of the Mara. They even had vegetarian sausages which is definitely a novelty when abroad! The entire time during our stay, it often felt like we were the only guests there despite the property operating at full capacity. As a party of 7, all our meals took place in a private tent and we had the same staff taking care of us each day – John and his co staff worked so hard to ensure we enjoyed our dining experiences. We truly were spoilt – we have the growing bellies to prove it!
The highlight of our trip (aside from the amazing sightings we witnessed) was definitely the sundowners experience. We were driven to a gorgeous spot on a hill where we were met by Frances and Jerrard – two of the general managers, a waiter and a ranger, Omari. Behind their warm faces was the glow of a beautiful campfire against the sunset – perfect for roasting marshmallows while sipping on hot chocolate after the beautiful finger food we got to indulge in! It was truly magical having a panoramic view of the Mara from a height while watching the sunset. My boys smashed every single fear I had and embracing the magical experience so so much. The very vivid sound of the lions calling for each other, hearing trees rustle as the elephants indulged in a midnight snack, monkeys jumping on our tent at night, the sound of a hippo waddling through the water a few meters away from our room and the sound of paw like footsteps on our decking – the only thing parting us – a tent wall, made our nights at Elewana Sand River so so magical and unforgettable. We got to experience each and every sound as though we were outside through the thin tent walls. As each night passed, our original fear turned to excitement as we tucked up in to our cosy warm beds (they place a hot water bottle at turn down so you’re warm!) anticipating what the night had in store for us! Waking up for our morning game drives and sometimes being greeted by a shy zebra or wildebeest through the bushes, or spotting a fresh elephant dung literally on our doorstep in the mornings was quite the experience and one we cannot wait to embark on again! A huge thank you to all the staff at the camp – to the rangers who kept us safe, Alex for being the most incredible guide, Frances, Faith and Jerrard for being so warm and welcoming and for all the restaurant staff and chef for going out of their way to keep us entertained while also keeping our bellies (over!) full! Thank you to all those that helped me plan the trip and gave and reassured me it would be fine! We had the holiday of a life time making memories watching the boys in awe of their surroundings – it was so different to our usual holidays!
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Lux Belle Mare, Mauritius … Celebrating 60 Years of Life With the Family | Review

I’m currently sat on the flight back from what was absolute paradise. Usually by the end of a holiday, we’re all ready to come home but something was different this time. This was the first time we’ve been away for longer than 7 nights, 9 nights in total and even then, we didn’t feel ready to come home. Perhaps it was having uninterrupted quality time with the whole family … all 9 of us. Perhaps it was mother nature’s infinity pool that boasted miles of crystal clear still waters. Perhaps it was the hospitality of the resort where we were so warmly welcomed. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was, but I wish every holiday felt this way. Finding a holiday during half term was a pain to say the least – I’m definitely not cut out for the extortionate prices you pay for over packed hotels. We searched low and high for hotels to ensure we had the right balance of the hotel being family friendly but also luxurious. We wanted it to be extra special given we were going away to celebrate my mum’s upcoming 60th birthday. The Lux Belle Mare seemed to fit the bill for what we were after. Prior to our arrival, I liaised with Sheila to discuss our needs and she put me in touch with Jennifer and Elvis to ensure we had a pleasant stay and my mother’s celebrations were perfect. Upon our arrival, we were welcomed with lots of warm genuine smiles – it was just what we needed after a long travel time. We were greeted by Sheila, Hema, Sueena and a few other members of staff who were quick to offer us a cold towel and a refreshing Mauritian drink while checking us in. Check in is a pretty relaxed process where you sit in the lobby as opposed to queuing in a formal reception type sitting. The gorgeous high ceilings, stylish thatched roofs with open air sides with the gorgeous backdrop of the pool and ocean scream paradise. The contemporary décor of the hotel was really refreshing. As well as the usual process of check in, we were also met by a member of staff from the Kids Club, Play, who gifted the boys a white sack which included crayons, juice and a note pad and the Kids club schedule. The lady kindly explained how Kids club worked. We were also greeted by Jennifer, the events coordinator at the hotel. We had discussed via email that we’d plan a surprise beach dinner for my mum so I met with her several times during our stay to discuss the finer details. Jennifer was more than just an events planner for us – she also took care of a few other things outside of her remit such as arranging late check out for us on our departure. In addition, Sheila had arranged for Sous Chef Randir to meet us on our arrival knowing our dietary requirements (vegetarian). Randir got to know our likes and dislikes so he could suggest meals for us throughout our stay to ensure we were catered for. It was a really nice way to be welcomed – we literally had no questions unanswered by the end of our check in. Their check in process most definitely made us feel extra special!  All three rooms were booked as junior suites and we were kindly located a stone’s throw from the swimming pool and a few metres away from the beach which was fantastic. We resided in rooms 1008, 1009 and 3008. The rooms are decorated with a bit of a Santorini feel with refreshing white and light shades of grey and a splash of orange. Upon first impressions, the rooms weren’t as spacious as we’d assumed they’d be though they were sufficient. The bedroom/lounge area was probably one of the smallest suites we’ve stayed in and with four of us, it didn’t feel like we had much room to store all our belongings. There is a walk in wardrobe area however there wasn’t enough storage for all of our clothes. The bathroom has a bath tub, a double sink and a large wet room style shower. It’s super spacious and the shower was without a doubt the best shower I’ve had in my life!! The power was amazing! The cot, stool and bath jug were all in our room on arrival for the boys. They’d also tailored the room to include two kids bath robes and a small toiletries pack for the boys which was a lovely attentive bit of detail. Though the room is perfectly located for the pool and beach, pre warning, the evening entertainment which goes on from 9-11pm is quite loud if staying in these rooms but we would pick these rooms again purely based on ease of location. The property itself didn’t feel too large which was a positive thing for the purpose of our stay. It was quite easy to find where any member of the family was without the use of a phone as everything was really close by. We loved this about the Lux. The swimming pool is spread across two levels and is the largest pool in Mauritius. It was ok but generally it was difficult to get sunbeds (we were a party of 9 though!) and to be honest, we didn’t enjoy it as much as the sea. There were a few loose tiles in the pool which were quite quickly fixed when I alerted reception and there also wasn’t enough stretch of depth for a decent swim. There are literally no words to describe the beach. We’d heard that Belle Mare boasted some of the most stunning beaches but we weren’t prepared for our holiday pretty much consisting of full days in the ocean. Where the Lux is located, the sea at the beach is a lagoon making it very still water with the odd super gentle wave. It was like an infinity pool where the ocean met the sky. The water was so clear – we were able to spot the beautiful white silvery fish darting around by our feet. The water was also a really good depth for the entire area – it was at the most shoulder height for me. There honestly aren’t enough words to describe how much we enjoyed our long days at the beach – building sandcastles, paddling in the water and just relaxing. We didn’t struggle to find 9 sunbeds as long as we were by the sea by about 11am after breakfast. The view from the beach was honestly like a postcard picture. Another brilliant thing about the Lux was that they offer free water activities at the Boat House such as peddle boats and kayaking which were lots of fun! Arjun had a blast in the glass bottom kayak counting fish! The hotel also offers free hour long glass bottom boat trips on a speedboat which we had the pleasure of going on – it was fascinating to see.  There was the odd bout of jellyfish which you need to watch out for after the rain but it didn’t stop us from enjoying the sea! Our room being a stone’s throw away from the beach made it really easy for us to go for a walk after dinner. The beautiful breeze made the temperature (even at 35 degrees!) bearable. At night, you get an incredible view of the stars and the moon glistening on the still water.
There was a really lovely garden area featuring the tree of wishes. The large swing was perfect to lay on to see the fruit bats at night – another fascinating thing to watch! The Kids club is for children over the age of 3. It’s a parent free zone and offers some of the best kid’s activities I’ve seen at a kids club. For example cake baking from scratch, t shirt painting, making your own aquarium and crab hunting. Arjun didn’t end up using the kids club much as he was too absorbed and thrilled by the prospect of being on holiday with his whole family! If we were to leave Saajan at kids club, we’d need to pay for a babysitter for a block of a minimum of 3 hours. We didn’t end up needing the service. The hotel isn’t only equipped with amazing activities for children, they also offer such unique experiences for adults and families. I attended the Photo Fanatics course by Kritz which covered how to take pictures using your phone and also editing them. It’s a free course and I took up the offer one rainy morning. It was great fun and definitely something different. There is also an option to pay for a course on how to use the different features on your camera for the keen photographers! As an environmentally friendly hotel, they also offer a Junk Art experience in their studio dedicated to creating beautiful works of art using recycled items. We spent a family afternoon creating our unique pieces of art – my sister and I a photo frame, Preetam a keepsake bottle that will be housed in our living room, my mum a bag and Arjun a monster! It was a wonderful and unique experience allowing us to exercise our creativity – it was nice to do something so different. The hotel also offers a chocolate workshop which I didn’t get the chance to attend as there simply wasn’t enough time! One of my most memorable things about this trip and probably for ever was that the spa here offers a kids massage (and facial, and manicure / pedicure!) and it meant that Arjun and I could have a mother and son afternoon. It was the cutest thing him having a massage and he enjoyed it so much that he fell asleep!! Children are massaged using chocolate oil and he had a full 60 minute massage while I had an energising massage which was equally as relaxing! Hotel guests have access to the spa facilities without having to book a spa treatment including the Jacuzzi, hammam and spa pool. As much as we had grand plans before we got to Mauritius to do several excursions, once we got there and the prospect of spending even a few hours away from the sea definitely squashed any grand plans. We literally couldn’t get enough! Belinda (Belinda’s boat tours) introduced herself on the beach and showed us a few water type excursions. She wasn’t the pushy sort and was such a happy soul. An excursion in the sea sounded like our kinda excursion! We decided to do a private speed boat tour. We set off the following day at 9am where we went on a quick 10 minute taxi drive to the speedboat location. The speedboat came with a cover which was important and they were armed with lots of water and soft drinks for us. Our hosts for the day were Jean Paul and Sebastian and honestly I don’t think I’ve met two nicer, such down to earth guys before. They were so friendly and were great at giving us highlights of the places we visited. We visited several stops including several spots in the middle of the ocean, snorkelled, visited the oldest light house in Mauritius which sits on top of a dried coral bed, met monkeys, encountered dolphins in their natural habitat, saw a gorgeous waterfall and topped it off with an authentic home cooked vegetarian Mauritian meal which was absolutely delicious! Watching Arjun snorkel for the first time and watching the joy on Saajan’s face from the excitement of the speed of the boat are memories that are forever etched in my heart. We returned back at about 4pm. It was well worth it at £450. Being vegetarian, you never quite know what options will be available. Some countries absolutely nail it while others are lagging behind in their thought that vegetarians live off just vegetables. Chef Randir ensured our food was exquisite and made sure we had a good mix including tofu. The hotel includes several restaurants – many which are included in the half board/full board options. We didn’t end up having dinner at Amari by Vineet or at Duck Laundry (not included in our half board option) as the food at the main buffet restaurant, Mixe, served us so well. We were fortunate and super spoilt in being asked daily what we’d like for dinner the following day from stir fries to lasagne to vegetable pie! Mixe is the same restaurant where breakfast is served. At both breakfast and dinner the food selection is really good even for vegetarians – their Indian food for me in particular was absolutely delicious. Waiter Vik was really friendly especially towards the kids. Purran always ensured we had the best breakfasts from making us pronteh to masala dosas and tailoring them to my taste buds especially! There is a dedicated kids food area in the dinner buffet and the kids ate really well as there was something for them every night.   We visited K Bar which has outdoor seating overlooking the ocean. It has a really lovely ambience and chilled vibe however the service was pretty slow. We didn’t eat at K Bar but did go on a few occasions for a drink. This is also where the evening entertainment takes place which is full of colour and music! The beach truck restaurant was our favourite lunch time spot – they had such a fabulous and tasty vegetarian menu – my personal favourite was the quinoa burger and the vegetable heaven wrap. We enjoyed our lunches there most days. We found the food to be of a high standard and really tasty. Beach Rouge is an Italian restaurant also located on the beach with a refreshing vibe. We dined here for dinner and were particularly impressed with their children’s facilities – the boys were offered crayons and a colouring menu on arrival and their food arrived really fast too. We really enjoyed the creamy vegetable pasta along with the stone baked pizza with a breath-taking view of the sea. As mentioned, we went to Mauritius to celebrate my mum’s year of birth. I worked closely with Chef Randir and Jennifer the events planner to plan my mother’s special family beach dinner. From arranging a photographer for some portraits beforehand with Kirtz to carefully selecting the menu with all my mums favourite foods to discussing how we should serve the food to discussing the little details. It truly was a magical experience and we were so grateful to Jennifer for making it so special, to Chef Randir for making the meal so exquisite and to Kritz for the beautiful family portraits he was able to capture for us. ICE an ice cream parlour resides by the swimming pool and it was a part of our daily routine to indulge!!  I was a little apprehensive about how our trip would turn out based on reviews I’d read about the resort being super busy during school holidays but we didn’t feel like it impacted our stay much at all. If you’re a couple looking for a romantic break then perhaps yes but otherwise, we’d go back in a heartbeat! The staff truly make this resort what it is, that coupled with Mother Nature – it’s a the perfect recipe for a relaxing and memorable holiday in paradise! Our belly’s have grown, our hearts are full and our tans show we made the most of the beautiful beach! Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in exchange for complimentary spa treatments, portrait images and the surprise beach dinner however all views expressed are my own.
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Our First Half Term Break to Rhodes at The Atrium Palace | Review

After searching the internet for reasonably priced half term breaks and really struggling with it, I turned to those that follow the blog to ask for suggestions. I was quickly swayed towards Rhodes as it was the most recommended suggestion! After doing a quick google image search of Rhodes coupled with a quick glance of prices on the British Airways website, we decided it was definitely worth a trip!

We decided somewhere in Europe would be best given Arjun would be back at school quite soon after we arrive back and we didn’t want to have to battle with jet lag. Greece only has a 2 hour difference.

We decided on the Atrium Palace hotel as it looked gorgeous and the reviews on Trip Advisor were really good – they mainly spoke of the brilliant customer service offered. The hotel is situated on a shingle beach and I knew Arj would want to build sandcastles – it was a short car ride away from Lindos where they have a sandy beach. I opted for a hotel that was located in a quieter part of the island.

The hotel management were brilliant with responding to our queries and arranging for the bits we needed for the kids beforehand over email. Their customer service was fantastic and they really wanted to go over and beyond to make our stay a good one and we felt very welcome!

On arrival at the airport, we whizzed through security – courtesy of the brilliant family route they have at Gatwick airport. After a spot of lunch we boarded the plane. This was our first experience of a half term holiday and to be honest I was quite nervous about how chaotic it would be – although the plane was pretty full of kids, it was a relief as I didn’t feel as anxious about how the boys would be on the flight. It was actually pretty nice having lots of other kids on the plane – oh how times have changed from our pre kids time!

Arjun kept himself pretty entertained with a crafts magazine we picked up for him – he made lots of monster crafts and used every bit of recycling he could find to create more crafts! We always find craft items a winner on a plane.

Saaj on the other hand was quite restless but managed to sleep and play with Arjuns Lego for a little while.

We hired a mini van from the airport as there were 6 of us travelling in total from Sixt which we picked up from the airport.

The airport is about a 45 minute car journey from the hotel with no traffic. We landed at 9.30pm and got to the hotel by 11.30pm. Quite late for the kids but the odd flight times seem to be popular with most UK flights to Rhodes. The departure time from Rhodes was 10.30pm!

We’d visited Rhodes the last week before it became off season. The weather was pleasant for 4/7 of the days but very windy for the remaining 3. We didn’t let it hold us back from making the most of our trip though! Travelling at this time to this hotel also meant it wasn’t as packed as I’d thought it would be for half term.

The Hotel

Upon arriving at the hotel, the lobby area has beautiful marble and stone work reflecting ancient Greek art.

We were quickly checked in and had a quick spot of dinner before heading to the room. If you land late, the menu options in the bar are limited however they’re really tasty. We opted for a Greek pizza.

Superior Villa

We were fortunate to be kindly upgraded to the superior villa. It boasts a spacious dining and lounge area, a very large bedroom with an adjoining huge bathroom and an extra bathroom. The private pool area has 4 leather cushioned sun beds with a seating area making it perfect to escape from the hustle and bustle of the main pool and was perfect for a quick dip while the boys napped. Our outdoor area offered an uninterrupted stunning view of the mountains and sea – it was very peaceful.

The main bathroom had a huge Jacuzzi bath tub – perfect to relax in! The sheer size was really appealing especially with children. The bathroom also featured two sinks and a vanity stool which Arjun used to stand on when brushing his teeth or washing his hands! The power in both showers was phenomenal.

The storage in the villa was ample – we even had a few cupboards empty!

Coffee pods are replenished daily however water is not provided in the room on a daily basis which was disappointing.

I especially loved the decor of our villa. It was a beautiful blend of classical Italian and Greek styles. It was very different to what we’d usually go for but we loved it. The furniture comprised of mahogany and dark oak. My favourite part was the floral mural details on the ceiling and the beautiful art work which was spread over dual canvases differing in sizes. I’ve not seen anything like that before.

 

Breakfast

The breakfast selection is good. They were very accommodating to our vegetarian diet and told us to let them know if we fancied anything and they’d try and source it from outside if they didn’t have it inside. However we didn’t require it as there was more than enough vegetarian options! The fruit and fresh orange juice was absolutely amazing and I’d highly recommend their own brand Nutella!

Restaurants

Symposium

We had dinner buffet a couple of times at the main hotel restaurant – Symposium. The selection was really good for vegetarians such as a leak and cheese pie, enchiladas and lasagne and the desserts were especially delicious! The kids enjoyed trying new things such as the traditional Greek feta and spinach pastries.

Asterias & Vista Mare

The restaurant offers Greek and Italian food. This gorgeous up market slightly formal setting restaurant offers a stunning panoramic view of the sea and mountains nestled behind the hotel grounds. It’s really peaceful and so tranquil. As well as having dinner a few times here, I often sat here for hours while writing and enjoying a coffee. The staff were so generous and friendly and again, went over and beyond for example placing a shawl over my shoulders when cold! Dimitris, the manager, was so attentive and a pleasure to be around. The food was really lovely – I’d recommend their pizza and Greek salad. We didn’t get the chance to try their pasta dishes!

Swimming Pools

The hotel offers several swimming pools and we were lucky enough to have our own private pool as part of our villa.

The main pool was really cold during our stay so we didn’t end up using it more than once. The hotel does have an indoor heated pool which we didn’t get around to using! The pool bar offered a great selection of food and drinks and staff often go around providing free fruit for guests.

Spa

On one of our colder days, my sister and I decided to go to the spa for some relaxation. We spent an hour or two by the spa pool and enjoyed a dip in the warm water. I enjoyed relaxing on the water beds.

I went for a deep tissue massage and it was one of the best I’ve had. It was a high pressure but it felt really good to knock out some of the tension that had built up in my back and shoulders!

Beach

We were pleasantly surprised by the beach behind the hotel. I wasn’t particularly excited by a non sand beach but actually it was stunning. It was really quiet and as this hotel was the only one located on the stretch, you had a clear view for miles. Preetam and my dad enjoyed the sea water and actually it was nice to not have to worry about shaking wet sand off after a swim!

Mini Club

Mini Club is open from 10-6pm daily and children above 4 years are allowed to go without parent supervision. Kids younger are welcome but require supervision. Both the boys loved kids club so much so that Arjun cried the last day we left as he didn’t want to leave the girls. Celine, Debbie and Fally were all brilliant with the boys and so super friendly. It was really quiet as it was heading towards off season.

They offer several classes for children throughout the week. Arjun really enjoyed the Master Chef Junior class where he made his own pizza and received a certificate at the end! He enjoyed eating it after too!

The hotel also offers Mini Golf which we didn’t get the chance to try and also have two play areas for kids which the boys enjoyed!

Mini Market

There is a mini market shop on the hotel premises which proved really useful. I’d forgotten our travel adapter at home and managed to pick one up for 3 euros here. It was probably a little more expensive than usual but the convenience was fab. It was also a great place to pick up pool side snacks and souvenirs.

The thing that stood out to me about this stay was just how friendly and accommodating ALL the staff were at the hotel. We didn’t come across a single person that wasn’t polite, helpful or friendly – especially towards the kids. The staff really are a credit to this hotel.

As we’d hired a car, we wanted to explore the island and we had such a fab time doing so! Here are some of the places we visited.

Rhodes Old Town

This was about an hour away from our hotel but so worth the trip. It’s a Medieval town with lots of shops where they sell local items such as handmade leather sandals, t shirts and souvenirs. There are lots of restaurants and we’d highly recommend Da Vinci for the most epic milkshakes and gelato!

We enjoyed walking through the castle and exploring the grounds. The castle itself was breathtaking and it was so nice to be able to walk through it. I really loved Rhodes old town – I think it was my favourite place I’ve ever visited in Europe while on holiday!

Butterfly Valley

We decided to venture out to Butterfly Valley but just a heads up – there are no butterflies from September onwards. Arj was disappointed but the view was beautiful none the less! There’s also a restaurant located here which we enjoyed our lunch at.

Seven Springs

This was a bit of an anticlimax as the main waterfall is man made and not very impressive at all. The seven springs were dried out due to the weather. The tunnel lake that takes you to the main waterfall is quite narrow and low so watch out if you’re tall like my husband! Also look out for the little crabs rushing past.

Olive Factory

We visited two olive factories on our journeys. It was nice to try different olive oils – my favourite was rosemary and garlic. However it was a little disappointing not being able to see how it’s actually proceed. More than factories, they are shops and museums showcasing historic production machinery. It was a nice little stop off en route to our destination.

Local Honey Stop

It was our mission to locate a local honey production source and try their honey. We were fortunate enough to stumble upon one on our way back from Agathi Beach and it did not disappoint! The hand written labelled jars made it feel all the more authentic! We purchased a few jars of Erika honey and chestnut honey as well as beez wax which is meant to be a brilliant ointment. I’d highly recommend stopping off at one of these side street pop up stalls and honey tasting

Beaches

Lindos

This is a pretty popular beach in Rhodes. The beach itself is a beautiful sandy beach with still crystal clear blue water – perfect for the children. By the beach, there are also lovely restaurants and local shops – similar to those at Rhodes Old Town but pricier.

Agathi

This beach feels a lot less commercial than Lindos. The access from the car to the beach is a lot easier too. It’s less of a town than Lindos but offers the same crystal clear blue still water which stays shallow for a while. The view is simply breathtaking. It’s hard to believe we were in Europe and not in the middle of the Caribbean! There were two tavernas located on this beach – perfect for a spot of lunch.

We enjoyed building sandcastles and paddling in the sea as well as absorbing the breathtaking view.

Restaurants

Panchos Mexican

This restaurant has a lovely ambiance with its beautiful Mexican decor. The staff were friendly and accommodating to our dietary requirements. The food was tasty but the fajitas were a little spicy – even for me! We enjoyed the meal overall.

Sartaj Indian Restaurant

Just past mid week, we all fancied Indian food. Especially as it was a particularly windy day we wanted something warming! I searched for the best Indian restaurant in Rhodes and was drawn to Sartaj purely based on its 5 star rating (with over 500 reviews!) – it had to be good! Had I not seen the review, I’m not sure we would have even noticed the place if we’d driven past as it’s quite modestly placed and isn’t huge.

We had high hopes and it’s safe to say we were not disappointed. So much so that I’d rate it one of the best Indian restaurants I’ve been to in the world – and we’ve travelled a lot! The family that own the restaurant were really lovely and the food reflected their love for what they do. It tasted authentic, not too greasy and you could tell that everything was fresh. Their delicious homemade paneer and dehi were also impressive.

We’d highly recommend this place for a lovely authentic Indian meal and what’s even better – it has a direct sea view!

We had a really lovely half term break with lots of high quality food, scenic views and meeting such lovely friendly people! We’d recommend Rhodes and this hotel most definitely.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in the form of remuneration or a gifted product or service. However all opinions and views expressed above are my own.

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The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana – Celebrating Our Baby’s 1 Year Healthy Heart Anniversary | Review

This time last year we handed over our innocent little guy to the hands of a surgeon we barely knew. Watching him being put to sleep – him none the wiser, was heartbreaking.

Open heart surgery … on our baby.

Something I couldn’t have even imagined in my most scariest nightmare. The thought of your child having a defect that would eventually cost him his life is terrifying. We’d had to cancel our holiday to Punta Cana at the last minute when we had suddenly found out about the defect which required surgery immediately. A holiday which signified so much for us at that time – it was meant to be the start of the rest of our lives, finally beginning to accept his Down syndrome diagnosis. That was also ripped from beneath us. Life felt really unfair this time last year.

At that time, I couldn’t even bring myself to look to a year ahead – I was terrified that Saajan may not even be with us.

As I sit here, and write up this blog post today, I’m so grateful for everything. We weren’t able to go last year, but we were able to go on what was our dream family holiday to Punta Cana this year!

We decided to mimic the exact same holiday we’d booked last year for this year. The management at the hotel were incredibly helpful and knew our story as we’d planned our entire holiday before having to cancel it three weeks before we were due to fly due to the devastating news of Saajan’s heart condition. Luckily we never boarded that flight as it could’ve been potentially fatal for Saajan.

We’d heard amazing things about The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana through trawling the internet and reading reviews – what particularly drew me to the hotel was how great it is for kids and I really wanted that for the boys. This trip was ALL about the boys.

Gatwick Airport and the British Airways Lounge

We flew with British Airways as it’s a direct flight from Gatwick to Punta Cana. Having done stop over flights for Thailand and India earlier this year, I quite fancied a direct flight this time. At the time of booking, I was quite apprehensive about the flight time (11am departure) as it was a day flight and I wasn’t sure how the children would be.

As I’ve mentioned previously, Gatwick has really great services for children – there’s a fast pass queue through security when travelling with children and there’s also a play area for children.

The British Airways lounge was pretty average though I think Virgin have set the bar on lounge standards! They have a kid’s area which was good for older children but Arjun had fun playing his own version of table football with his daddy!

The Flight

The boys were really good considering it was a pretty long flight. Arjun was entertained by his bag that I’d packed, and there were so many of his favourite films on in the inflight entertainment system. He also enjoyed playing games. All of that after exploring his toiletries bag of course.

Saajan was great too. He had a couple of naps, happily played with his toys and was entertained for ages by the inflight entertainment remote! Haha! We had fun playing peekaboo too and he loved watching his nursery rhymes programme which we often watch at home – luckily, they had it on in the inflight entertainment.

We’ve not travelled with British Airways long haul before and I was a little disappointed with the lack of enthusiasm with some of the cabin crew. Emirates, Virgin and Etihad were all excellent with children and general proactiveness. With British Airways, there was no acknowledgement of the children and also several members of staff would walk past seeing our trays full from empty glasses or food but would leave it lying there till you asked reluctantly half an hour later. Not really the same service at all as the other airlines, especially considering it was Club class and they could see us dodging a tray of food with a handful toddler.

On landing, we exited the airport pretty quick. Our transfer which we’d booked through the hotel with a company called Otium was ready as soon as we got there. It was a nice spacious large car armed with a car seat for Saajan.

The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana

The Reserve is a separate area within Paradisus Punta Cana especially for families. The area includes a kid’s pool and a Kids Zone. The Reserve also has it’s own exclusive restaurant, The Gabi Club, for Reserve residents only. There is also a private beach area specifically for The Reserve residents.

If you know us at all, we love luxury and sometimes when going on a family holiday, it feels like you lose an element of luxury. Long gone are the days where I’d search for adult only hotels! Now, it feels like we have to find some compromise. This was the first hotel which really catered to providing a luxury holiday as a family – really taking note of the “family” element without comprising the luxury element. The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana offers extra comfort, privacy, luxury and service. The perfect option for those travelling with the hope to live the perfect family holiday.

If you book in at The Reserve, you’re taken directly to The Reserve reception and lobby area for check in. The staff were so quick and courteous. There’s an assortment of snacks from cornflake clusters to crudités to crisps and sandwiches – great as a post flight snack for a hungry toddler and child!

In addition to residing at The Reserve, our holiday was upgraded to The Family Concierge service offered at The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana. This service provides a very personal touch and attention to detail.

We resided in room 2141 – in the Family Concierge building where the lounge area included snacks, a TV and wooden toys to keep the children entertained while we attended to grown up matters.

Our Reserve family concierge point of contact was Jhordan who was absolutely amazing from the get go. He was so helpful, warm and eager to ensure we had a fab stay. Jhordan gave us his mobile phone number so that we could communicate on what’s app – the easiest mode of communication.

Your family concierge is there almost as a right hand man to ensure you have a cabana or sunbeds reserved by your pool of choice (kids pool or the Reserve pool), make dinner reservations for you, plan excursions and any other special requests you may have. For example, prior to arriving, the hotel was aware that we were vegetarian – the day after we landed, Jhordan arranged for head chef, Miguel, to come and meet with us to discuss our preferences. We were really impressed with this and the food service we received thereafter food wise.

As part of the family concierge package, children are also provided with Paradisus kids kit including little bath robes, toiletries (including a mosquito repellent) and their own sand bucket and spades set. Arjun was ecstatic!

The mini bar is personalised based on your likes – ours was replenished daily with cartons of milk for Arjun, Lays crisps and crackers – not the healthiest snacks but we were on holiday!

There are also PS4, Xbox and Wii consoles available on request however we didn’t require these as Arjun is still quite young and enjoyed being outdoors!

Prior to arriving, I’d requested a steriliser, a stool for Arjun and a cot – all of which were ready when we arrived. Cleybi was the housekeeping supervisor during the majority of our stay and her attention to detail was fantastic. She went over and beyond by providing Arjun with his own double bed instead of a sofa bed for extra comfort, ensured the room was clean both in the morning and at turn down service. When we requested the extra cushions to be removed from our bed, this was granted and our request for extra towels was provided daily without reminder. Cleybi was on her days off for the last two days of our stay and their was a noticeable difference in service – the room wasn’t tidied in the evenings and we had to request extra towels. Her service was impeccable and so personal – she really prides herself in going over and beyond and she really should! We’ll always remember Cleybi for how helpful she was.

Every evening your family concierge leaves homebaked cookies for the children with a cute inspirational message. Preetam and I especially loved tucking in to those!

While we were in Punta Cana, it was Saajan’s one year healthy heart anniversary – a year since we handed him over to a surgeon. We wanted to mark the day and celebrate his life. The hotel were aware of this special date and on his anniversary, Jhordan surprised the children with a room filled with balloons and a cake and the most special note as well as with a balloon bubble bath. They were both ecstatic and we were so touched by the sweet gesture – we’ll always remember his first healthy heart anniversary thanks to Jhordan.

The Master Bedroom Suite

Our room was upgraded to a one bedroom master suite and as we entered, we were instantly wowed by the beautiful décor and the space! It was definitely the most practical room we’ve ever stayed in.

The master bedroom comprised of a king size bed with a sliding door to enter the huge master bathroom which included a huge Jacuzzi bath tub and two sinks where I stored my toiletries and make up. Following on from that bathroom, there was another bathroom comprising of a separate toilet cubicle, a shower cubicle and a third sink where Preetam stored his toiletries.

The master bedroom also included an iPhone 7 docking station which made charging my phone super easy!

The suite also comes with a kitchenette which made managing Saajan’s bottles and the kids snacks so easy! I loved having a designated area which included a separate sink to easily wash and sterilise his bottles.

The main lounge area included a dining table and sofa area. This is where Cleybi had also set up Arjun’s bed and Saajan’s cot.

I loved the marble effect lamp bases and lamp shades, the deep oak wooden furniture and the luxurious marble tops.

Our room was a pool view room. No rooms at The Reserve offer a sea view sadly!

The Pools

We didn’t end up using the main hotel pool as we didn’t feel the need to. We ended up residing at the same cabana which Jhordan reserved for us each day most days. It was really nice to have the same space each day as we knew exactly what to expect.

The pool wasn’t crowded at all and even without reserving sunbeds, we could quite easily have found some.

There is frequent pool side entertainment – you can find a schedule of activities quite easily on the Melia app which you can download for free.

I participated in paddle yoga with Eddie and a Christian – it was so much fun and they were pretty patient with my inflexibility! Haha!

Preetam and I also participated in a candle making class which was so therapeutic. Jose Cappuccino was our teacher and he definitely doesn’t fall short on the entertainment factor! He’s absolutely hilarious and full of life!

I also took part in pool side Zumba with Cappuccino – it was so so much fun! I don’t usually participate in adult activities when on holiday, but the pool side staff here made it so fun and inclusive and I’m so glad I did!

Jose by the pool side was always smiling even in the sweltering heat – he was so kind and helpful and all the pool side staff got to know our daily request of an ice bucket filled with water and would have it ready before we even requested it. The staff were always great at providing us with the tastiest mouth watering fruit platters too! We often had coconut water which was cut straight from a tree and prepared before our eyes. Doesn’t get fresher than that!

There is a swim up pool bar where you can enjoy hot and cold drinks – we also attended a fresh fruits drink experience here which was quite cool. Again led by Cappuccino’s commentary.

There is a pool side bar called Hydro Grill for food including pizzas, burgers and salads but to be honest, the quality of the food is really poor. I wouldn’t recommend it though the staff are lovely!

The kids pool features three slides in the shape of animals and is situated next to the Kid’s Zone.

Kids Zone

The Kids club at this resort was absolutely fantastic. It got super-hot during the midday sun and it was so helpful to have such fantastic kids facilities. We’ve never really used the kid’s clubs on previous holidays as they usually require supervision under the age of 4. This Kids Zone welcomes children from 1 years and you don’t need to stay with them. The facilities and services were brilliant and it’s open from 10am-10pm.

They have a baby zone which is pretty much the same as a nursery – it’s kitted out with practically every type of toy you can imagine! Soft play to ball pool to car tracks to light up toys. Both boys were so happy to be there! There is an indoor crafts area, a television area, an outdoor crafts area, table football, table tennis, air hockey, and table football for the older children. There is also an outdoor climbing frame for older kids and a smaller play area for toddlers. The best part – they have a gardening area equipped with shovels and rakes and watering cans! If you know us at all, you’ll know Arj is Mr Green fingers!

Joanna reassured us they’d take care of Saajan and that Arjun would also be ok. It was empty and they pretty much had one to one care. Xavier and Jafriesy were also especially great with Saajan. All the staff told us how much they’d miss Saajan – they really took a shine to him. Saajan attended every day during the midday sun, mainly for a nap and Arjun attended a few days where he enjoyed colouring in, a cupcake decorating class and swimming in the kids pool with Xavier. Saajan especially took to Joanna and I felt reassured that he was in good hands.

There is a separate room for nap time which is a dark room and has two cots so Saajan was comfortable.

Beach

The premises are pretty large with gorgeous gardens – perfect backdrops for those all important shots! If residing at The Reserve, it’s about a 7-10 minute walk to the beach. Alternatively, there is a very frequent buggy service that runs about every 15 minutes from several locations which can taxi you to and fro.

 

Though from afar, the sea looked stunning as you’d expect of the Caribbean, on closer inspection, there was a LOT of seaweed present which may be due to the time of year we visited. The day that there was a smallish amount of seaweed washed up on to the shore, there was A LOT in the sea – I didn’t particularly enjoy going in the sea as I was paranoid about being attacked by a sea snake and anytime seaweed caught my leg, I panicked! Haha! The day there was lots of seaweed washed up to shore, the sea was a lot more pleasant to swim in!

There is a separate section for The Reserve residents for sun loungers at the beach and there are plenty of them though if you don’t get to the beach early enough, you miss out on the sea front ones!

There is a bar at the beach so you can access lots of refreshing drinks.

Excursions

We decided to take part in a buggy excursion and took Arjun with us – it was a really fun experience but Arjun wasn’t keen on getting dirty, so Preetam was careful to dodge all the puddles! The excursion included a stop off at a Cave where you’re able to go for a quick dip – pre warning, the water is very cold and quite deep!, the coffee and chocolate plantation where you get to have a taste of the gorgeous hot chocolate and finally Macao beach – absolutely stunning, crystal clear blue water with a gorgeous backdrop.

 

 

Dining

The package we booked was all inclusive. Our bill at the end of the stay was $60 purely for items we’d purchased at the hotel shop! My perception of an all inclusive was based on our holiday in Jamaica a few years ago – I assumed we’d be surrounded by empty plastic cups which were once filled with booze and that the quality of food would be low. Oh how wrong I was!

There are over 13 restaurants on the Paradisus Punta Cana property and they’re all included ranging from buffet restaurants, experience restaurants to buffet restaurants. Though the quality varied across the restaurants, overall, we were so wowed by the amazing value for money we received. You can view the restaurants menus on the free app and as mentioned, your family concierge can arrange your dinner reservations for you.

The all inclusive package also includes room service though we didn’t end up using it even once surprisingly!

All the menus offer a separate kids menu which is the same around the resort.

As mentioned, Chef Miguel came to meet us the day after we arrived and ensured we were catered for throughout our stay. They made us bespoke meals such as a vegetable lasagne, vegetarian steak burger and lots of salad options which we were so grateful for. He ensured he communicated our dietary needs to each chef at each restaurant. Miguel would often come to greet us at meal times to ensure we were ok and to see if he could provide us with anything else. We were really impressed by this as when we visited the Lopesan Baobab, it wasn’t quite the same – here they were a lot more accommodating with providing cauliflower cheese without the bacon bits if we asked 😉

Breakfast: we had our breakfast daily at the Gabi Club. Though not a huge spread, we both agreed it was sufficient and the food they did serve was delicious – my daily Punta Cana vegetable and chili filled omelette was by far the best I’ve ever had and the fresh fruit was absolutely divine.

Gabi Beach Buffet: Though the views were beautiful at this restaurant, the food was quite limited for vegetarians – we went here on our first night prior to meeting with Chef Miguel. The English of many of the staff was quite limited so it was difficult to communicate out needs. It’s a buffet restaurant and though they had Indian food and baked potatoes, it wasn’t our favourite restaurant options wise.

 

Mole: Jhordan had arranged for us to visit Mole on the day of Saajan’s healthy heart anniversary and he couldn’t have chosen a better restaurant for the occasion. Mexican is one of my favourite cuisines and the staff at the restaurant were lovely! Lisselot was our main waitress and she was so warm and friendly especially towards the kids. The head chef from the restaurant came to meet us when we arrived and made us a custom meal comprising of vegetarian enchiladas, fajitas and quesadillas. The kids had cheesy quesadillas and fries. We really enjoyed our food and experience here!

The Grill: This is a steak house restaurant and is quite busy. Chef Miguel had especially arranged for us to have a veggie burger which was absolutely delicious! The vibe was really chilled out here. Though the main burger was nice, the sides weren’t as high quality. The service was a little slow and unhelpful at times but it may well just have been that our waitress was having a bad day.

Aqua: This is an Italian restaurant in an elegant setting. The food was really tasty and was made just as I requested off the menu – a penne pasta in a garlic and spicy sauce with lots of vegetables (true Indian style haha!). Arjun really enjoyed the food and our waiter Ramon Jimenez was really great at ensuring we were taken care of.

Gabi Club: We had one evening meal at the Gabi Club where we were made a delicious smoked aubergine lasagne. They also prepared a special dessert for us as a surprise – a chocolate melting box cake. It was delicious!

Bana: Our final dinner was at Bana, a Japanese restaurant where they prepare the food live. It was an interesting experience dining with others but a pleasant one! Though the vegetable tempura and sushi weren’t great, the fresh vegetable stir fry and egg fried rice was delicious!

Evening Entertainment

Every evening there is entertainment, however we always ended up falling asleep early due to jet lag! We did however make it to a acrobat performance on the beach on evening which both boys were wowed by! And also to the final evening of entertainment of The Lion King – I was blown away by the efforts of the pool side and kids zone staff for putting together such an impeccable show! The boys were absolutely hooked as were Preetam and I!

Our verdict

We had an absolutely incredible time at our stay at The Reserve Paradisus Punta Cana and we are already planning our next vacation! It was a holiday of a life time with many amazing memories that will last us a life time. It was the perfect setting for a relaxed family holiday with support from our family concierge and the kids club but also oozed luxury. We will definitely be returning and to date it has been our best value for money holiday. My only real complaint being that I was savaged by mosquitos one day – everyone else was ok! It must be my sweet blood 😉

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in exchange for a product or service. However all views expressed above are my own.

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Entertaining a Toddler in Flight – Packing Ideas

I don’t think there’s any parent out there who isn’t overcome by a wave of fear at the thought of flying long haul with a little person. You never know what mood they’re going to be in and how “good” they’ll be. Let’s face it, riding for 8 hours plus being confined to a small space is a bit crappy! Arjun will happily watch an episode or 2 of something on the in flight entertainment, or play a game on the iPad for half an hour and then he’ll get bored. So arming ourselves with plenty to keep him entertained is super important!

We invested in a travel bag for him which comes with a fold out tray – perfect for holding little pieces in a confined space rather than sliding around on an aircraft table where it’s likely to slip!

 

On our latest flight, this is what I packed:

  • A mini play dough set – I found this at The Works for a bargain price of £3. It comes with 3 pieces of play doh, some cutters, a rolling pin and a little carry case. I purchased an additional set of play doh from Poundland. I’d highly recommend The Works for cute little activity sets.

  • Lego – can’t go wrong with endless amounts of imaginative play with building cars to houses to stairs! I just take a few pieces from home and pop them in a freezer bag for transport
  • Mini puzzles – we’ve taken two – a Cars one and a Paw Patrol one. We got them from eBay. Again the travel bag is great for having a little space to ensure the pieces don’t slip out.

  • Play doh wipe clean book – to practice shapes and again you can reuse the book by wiping it clean.  It also comes with cutters which Arjun can use with his play doh.
  • Aircraft set – we purchased it on our last flight and Arj loves playing with the little transport models
  • Mini Chinese checkers set – a bargain price of £1 from The Works!
  • A magazine – this time we’re taking a Transformers one which includes stickers.
  • Gel window stickers– for him to place on the windows in the plane by his seat
  • Counting book – if he wants to study!
  • Mini food cutting set – Arj loves pretending to cook and this set that I purchased on Amazon is brilliant. It comes with pieces of food velcroed together and he uses a knife to prize them apart. He loves pretending to cook for us.

  • A plain drawing pad to make his own pictures

Arj is pretty obsessed with aqua beads at the moment but I figured it wouldn’t be sensible to take tiny beads on a plane – I’ve had the pleasure of having to clear them up at home and it isn’t fun!

Any tips on what to pack?

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Our India Medical Packing List for Grown Ups and Children

I had a few messages following on from our India trip re what we took to cover all bases. It’s funny how so many of us have a mini freak out at the thought of going to India and getting sick where actually it really isn’t that bad at all. Plus getting deli belly means losing a few pounds 😉

Jokes aside, I was quite nervous as Saajan has a pretty low immune system and it was also Arjun’s first time visiting our motherland. I was so so excited to take the kids but I wanted to ensure we covered all bases. I spoke to a few friends and family and gathered together a list of the things we should take just incase. I’ve shared the list below and hope you find it helpful.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to use any of the medicine we’d taken. Do you take anything in addition?

  • Milton wipes
  • Antibacterial hand gel
  • Disposable toilet seat covers
  • Childrens plasters (with their favourite print to calm them down if they take a fall!)
  • Baby vicks
  • Baby Nurofen
  • Calpol
  • Baby piriton
  • Anbesol teething gel
  • Nasal saline spray
  • Nasal sucker
  • Thermometer
  • Calamine lotion – works great for sun burn
  • Mini first aid kit
  • Dirolite
  • Jungle spray
  • Kool n soothe packs
  • Savlon
  • Lozenges
  • Blister pads
  • Anti histamine
  • Plasters for grown ups
  • Germolene
  • Grown ups Nurofen
  • Paracetamol
  • All in one cold and flu tablets

We also packed a few Robinson’s Squash’d to keep the kids fluids up.

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Our Trip to JW Marriott Khao Lak (Phuket, Thailand With Emirates) | Review

Our trip to Thailand was definitely a spontaneous one! It was actually meant to be a trip to Mauritius but we ended up having to cancel two days before due to a cyclone hitting the beautiful island. We weren’t sure of what the aftermath of the cyclone would be so we decided to play it safe and change our destination. We will definitely be doing our trip to Mauritius one day! We’d planned on staying at the Constance Prince Maurice and the service we’d already received had been incredible.

We decided the world was our oyster … well the Emirates destination travel list was anyway! Preetam and I visited Thailand in 2013 (pre kids) and to date it was one of our favourite holidays – it’s full of culture, amazing food and the most scenic beaches. The only down side was that we only had 7 nights to spare this time so travelling around wouldn’t be an option. We were drawn to Thailand based on our previous experiences of the beautiful country and decided Phuket would be a good call – we’d not been before and the JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort seemed just right – boasting Asia’s longest pool at 1.9km, it was bound to be a winner with Arjun especially!

This was our first long haul flight with Saajan and as you may have gathered from our previous holidays, he hasn’t been great with flying so far – like his daddy, he gets cabin fever! We decided it would be wise to fly business class with two littles in tow and after the year we’ve had, why not! The extra space would be good for Saajan and also for Arjun to keep himself entertained.

The Flight(s)

Although flying Emirates meant we had a stopover flight, there was no give on our preferred airline – it’s definitely our absolute favourite airline and they definitely didn’t fail to live up to their reputation this time either. Their planes are adorned with such luxurious textures and fabrics, their service is impeccable and obviously there’s the added bonus of lots of space! You barely feel you’re on a flight! There’s also the added bonus of the seat converting to a bed for naps and play time for the kids.

Emirates business class service also provides customers with a chauffeur service in the UK and at many of its international destinations – Thailand included. All four chauffeur transfers included baby seats.

The Emirates lounge offers a range of hot and cold snacks – we had a quick bite prior to departure.

We definitely got lucky – on three out of four of our flights, Saajan ended up having his own seat as the flight wasn’t full which was especially handy for nap times!

The staff on the flight to Dubai were absolutely incredible – Fedi in particular ended up quite quickly developing a soft spot for Saajan and the feeling was mutual! He was incredibly helpful with assisting us with a fussy Saajan who wasn’t feeling great – he went out of his way to provide us with whatever he could to comfort Saajan. Not sure what we’d have done without him as for a lot of the flight he took Saajan when he seemed restless and entertained him at the bar with the other crew. Saajan was definitely pretty popular even among the other passenger!

On all flights, both kids were given a little goody bag – Arjun a colouring book, a Tiger erase away board and some stickers, Saajan a little backpack blanket and baby essentials such as a bib, cream, feeding spoon and wipes.

I was armed with a new in flight bag for Arjun to keep him entertained. I packed it with a host of things and definitely over packed! I packed a few new bits for each leg to keep him entertained but to be honest he was mostly entertained by the Lego on the way out! I’ll do a separate post on what I packed in his bag. Arj also enjoyed watching Cars 3 before he slept.

We had a two hour stop over in Dubai where we quickly freshened up, changed the boys clothes and had a quick snack at the lounge before boarding our next flight. Surprisingly we weren’t dreading our next flight as like I said, it didn’t feel like we’d been on a plane despite Saajan being a little grumpy.

Emirates have strollers at Dubai airport which was particularly helpful. Arjun was pretty tired and fussed over wanting to sit in Saajan’s buggy (we have a Baby Zen YoYo), so we grabbed an additional one from the airport free of charge for Saajan.

By the second leg, Preetam and I were pretty tired but Arjun was far too excited about going on holiday to fall asleep till the very end! Saajan was also struggling with a nasty cough making him extra grumpy. It was quite exhausting!

We arrived at Thailand at 8am meaning we’d lost a whole night (we left the day before at 9.30am). There was a 1 hour 15 minutes drive to our hotel and by the time we got there, we all crashed! Our first day was a little jumbled and we were all heavily jet lagged.

The Hotel

Upon our arrival to the hotel, we were eagerly greeted by a member of the reception staff who were expecting us. They were all so hospitable, friendly and informative – just what we needed for energy refueling after a long flight!

Once we’d settled in, Chef Sa (Assistant Head Chef at the resort) got in touch to get to know us and our palettes a little better! Throughout our holiday, she was absolutely incredible – she’d always be there to check in on us and to ensure we were served delicious food and dishes were created from scratch if required to ensure we were offered a range of different foods. We were really grateful for Chef Sa’s efforts in aiming to satisfy us, the efforts of her and her team really paid off and made our stay even more enjoyable. The hotel was amazing at preparing food that wasn’t specifically on the menu to meet our needs which was particularly helpful with the children.

Given we only booked Thailand a few days before arriving, the service we received via email by the various departments was remarkable. All our requirements were met without any hassle such as early check in and providing a baby bottle steriliser as well as a stool for Arjun to be able to reach the sink. They responded promptly and were eager to help us where possible.

The Room
We went for a family lagoon pool access room as we thought a room with direct access to the swimming pool would be perfect for us with a toddler and baby as while Saajan napped we could easily go straight in to the room without it stopping from Arjun continuing with one of us. We found it super convenient and the added foliage outside our balcony meant we had a little privacy.

The room is made up of dark brown mahogany and white shades. The dark shades kept the room quite cool which was helpful in the 30 degree heat! I do think the main bedroom and lounge area could do with a giant mirror – just to open up the room further and who doesn’t love a mirror?! I loved the cleanliness of the room – it definitely met my standards! Housekeeping were so thorough and always very helpful – they were definitely in tune with our needs and ensured we were provided with 12 bottles of water daily!

      

   

  

I loved the bathroom decor with its luxurious cream marble. There as a separate shower which was huge and was definitely the best shower I’ve used in my life – so powerful! The double sink was handy as we used one for washing Saajan’s bottles.

We found that the family room wasn’t as spacious as a suite at other hotels such as the Lopesan Boabab in Gran Canaria or the suites at Sheraton Fuerteventura and therefore we struggled with space a little. For example there wasn’t enough storage space for all of our clothes (I didn’t overpack … that much!) nor for our empty suitcases. I also struggled in the bathroom with laying out our toiletries and my make up and I wasn’t able to put my make up bits in the living and bedroom area as there were no mirrors.

Swimming Pools
We mainly used the river pool that wraps itself around the entire property. Its like a lazy river without a current. Its 1m deep for the most part but does go up to 1.8m deep in small pockets. We really loved having a swim up room – it meant there was no faffing with packing a pool bag and there was no worrying about running back to the room. There is also an infinity pool which we didn’t use very much. There are two pool bars which added to the convenience of keeping the toddler hydrated!

 

  

A beautiful little touch is that every day (provided the weather permits) there’s a little boat that comes around the pool serving soft drinks and fresh coconut right to your door step!

Breakfast
Breakfast offered a large selection of continental and international cuisine. The omelettes were by far the best we’ve ever had. They were cooked perfectly and the flavours of the vegetables were delicious!

The tables at the Waterfront restaurant where breakfast is served are huge which was so helpful with the kids – Arjun always grabs a host of plates with an assortment of food and Saajan tries to grab everything and anything within his reach! The view from the Waterfront restaurant is that of the beach and it’s absolutely breath taking – especially to start your day off with.

Restaurants
There are several dining options at the JW Marriott Khao Lak which is really convenient especially with children. The wide variety of cuisine offered is also really outstanding – there’s something for everyone. The restaurants include the Olive, a Mediterranean restaurant; Sakura, a Japanese restaurant; Ta Krai, a Thai restaurant and the Waterfront, international cuisine; Deli, offering a range of sandwiches, pastries, ice creams and hot drinks as well as fresh juices; Czar Lobby Bar; Beach Bar, offering quick bites. The hotel also offers two pool bars – the Infinity Pool Bar and the Aquamarine Pool Bar – Arjun was definitely a frequent user of this one for his daily pineapple juice!

Olive Restaurant
We ventured to the Olive restaurant on our first night and were greeted by Chef Enzo. Before I speak about the food, the view was absolutely breathtaking from the outdoor seating – we got to witness the most beautiful sunset which painted the sky a beautiful mix of pinks and oranges. It really was like a postcard picture! The setting at the restaurant was beautiful – there was a gorgeous ambience with the tree stump candles and tube LED lighting.

After a long flight and severe jet lag, we weren’t sure what we fancied eating, we decided to leave Chef Enzo to work his magic! He came up with a beautiful starter – a bed of Italian salads using a variation of Italian cheeses which were absolutely divine! In addition he also created for us a medley of various vegetables on a platter. The ingredients were so fresh and the infusion of flavours worked so well – you could taste each and every ingredient but they worked so well together.

We were pretty stuffed after starters and requested a light main. Chef Enzo came up with a trio of vegetarian pastas – pesto gnocchi, tomato ravioli and olive oil chili ravioli. All were exquisite but my favorite was the olive oil chili ravioli.

 

Ta Krai
Chef Sa reserved us a table by the pond with beautiful views of the sunset overlooking the infinity pool for dinner at the Thai restaurant. Chef Mama Du, Head Chef at the Thai restaurant, came to personally meet us and suggested her favourites for us – we went for the vegetable spring rolls which were so refreshing and tasty – a little different to your traditional deep fried spring rolls! Vegetable tempura – oh so crunchy! For mains I went for a Thai green curry with vegetarian pad thai and Preetam went for a fish red curry. Both were delicious – amazing what a difference there is with authentic food! Dessert was deep fried battered banana with ice cream – I LOVED it.

Deli
We often stopped off at the Deli to grab an ice cream or a fresh juice or in the evening after dinner for a hot drink and cheeky slice of cake! It’s a casual little place but be warned it’s pretty cool compared to the other restaurants!

Beach Front
We dined at the beach front restaurant one evening for a casual one. Chef Sa had her team whip us up vegetarian quesadillas loaded with beans and vegetables which were delicious – all while watching the sunset. Arjun in particular had fun dancing to the entertainment! We often used the beach front bar during the day when lounging at the beach – they do lots of snacks from fried rice, French fries to nachos.

  

Beach
The beach offers absolutely breath taking views which pictures do no justice! One of my favourite things to do was to lie on a hammock and take in the scenic view of the different shades of blue.

The sea was a lovely warm temperature making it the perfect spot to “catch waves” for Arjun. He absolutely loved spending time in the sea with daddy and building sandcastles with the family. The sand was soft and you’d often see little crabs scurrying about.

The sun beds on the beach were often occupied from quite early on so we never really managed to get any but Arjun had no interest in lying around on a sun bed anyway! He was always either in the sea or building sandcastles. We’d take Saajan for a little while to play in the sand, catch some waves and take him in. He loved smashing down mini sandcastles!

 

   

 

Quan Spa
The resort has an onsite spa much to my delight! Asia, Thailand in particular, is renowned for its’ world class massages (amongst other things!). I was lucky enough to be treated by the hotel to two massages (Preetam gifted me his – good husband!). My first masseuse was Roong – I went for a deep tissue full body massage. It was absolutely AMAZING. I felt so light afterwards – it was without a doubt the best massage I’ve ever had in my life! The spa surroundings are tranquil and peaceful making it the perfect setting for some relaxation time. I found the whole experience from start to finish really rejuvenating and it was just what I needed.

 

Private Family Cooking Course

We were truly spoilt at the resort – Chef Sa kindly arranged a private family Thai cooking course for Preetam, Arjun and I. Usually, children under 10 are unable to attend the cooking course, but they made a huge exception for us and Chef Sa and Chef Mama Du put in place many measures to ensure Arjun could attend in a safe environment – Chef Lynn joined as his right hand woman so he had one to one supervision. We are so eternally grateful for the opportunity as Arjun had specifically asked to go on a cooking course while on holiday. The personalised service was impeccable!

It was the first time Mama Du had hosted a vegetarian cooking course and she’d customised our menu to include what we said we’d like to learn. The course was really informative and Mama Du explained everything with so much patience and love – you could really see her love for cooking and its clear to see why all the chefs at the resort often turn to her for her wisdom and wealth of knowledge in flavours and foods she’s acquired over her career and childhood.

Our menu was:

  •  Papaya salad: I was a little apprehensive about this as the combination sounds odd but it was so delicious! The infusion of garlic and chili with papaya was absolutely amazing!
  • Thai green tofu curry: because we would be crazy to go to Thailand and not learn the “proper” way to cook this delight! The combination of fresh produce and Mama Du’s guidance resulted in an amazing curry – it was delicious!
  • Sweet and sour tofu: Recently Preetam and I went to the film festival in Vienna where we tried the most divine sweet and sour tofu. It was amazing beyond words and it’s become our thing to try and hunt to find something that comes even close – to date we’ve failed! After Mama Du’s tips and recipe, we’ve now definitely come very close – we just need to tweak our sauces slightly!
  • Vegetable Pad Thai: We were really surprised with the amount of ingredients that go in to Pad Thai to form the base. Something I’ve always wanted to master. We were all pleased with our results – especially Arjun who wolfed his down!
  • Sweet banana in coconut syrup: another surprise medley of flavours!

We were so grateful to have access to Chef Mama Du’s wealth of knowledge and for the resort taking the time to provide us with a course that Arjun could attend and which he thoroughly enjoyed! A big thank you to Chef Lynn and Chef Mama Du for taking such good care of Arjun and for being so patient. We have definitely come home armed with a lot more knowledge on Thai cooking the authentic way!

 

       

      

   

     

During the course, to ensure Saajan had one to one care, we hired a babysitter from the hotel who initially joined us at the cooking course – Saajan warmed very quickly to Mae and once we were comfortable with her, we allowed her to take Saajan to the kids club for a little while. Arjun joined later. Based on our experience with Mae, we’d highly recommend the babysitting facility available at the hotel. The kid’s club facilities were also fantastic – Arjun enjoyed building towers, playing in the soft play play gym and colouring pictures for us.

 

On Site Nurses Centre

Another brilliant service the hotel offers is a nurses centre which is open daily – one which we ended up utilising when Saajan was feeling a little under the weather. They were able to check his pulse and oxygen on site which was really helpful.

As well as the hotel facilities, we decided to venture out to show the kids a bit of Thai culture and do a spot of shopping to the Bang Niang Night Market which is open on Mondays and till late on Saturdays and Wednesdays. The market was so buzzing and Saajan in particular absolutely loved the atmosphere.

When we visited Thailand in 2013, I struggled to find vegetarian street food (probably wasn’t looking in the right places!) but was ecstatic to stumble upon local veggie finds this time! Potato spirals on a stick, corn on the cob and fresh fried spring rolls were absolutely divine! We also enjoyed a banana and Nutella roti – a Thai specialty.

The market is full of clothing, shoes, dupe make up and lots of souvenirs! Be prepared to haggle!

 

 

Our flights back with the kids were really good (surprisingly!) – both played nicely and napped well. Saajan was brilliant on the way back – I was really pleased given our past experience! In total we travelled for 21 hours.

We enjoyed our stay so much at the JW Marriott and would definitely return back – the service was second to none and we all had a beautiful family holiday creating lots of memories to last a lifetime!

 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in the form of remuneration or in exchange for a product or service. However all views expressed above are my own.

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Sheraton Fuerteventura … Our Incredible First Holiday as a Family of Four!

It was our first holiday as a family of four. To say I was nervous to travel with a tornado toddler and a teething baby is an understatement! Preetam had wanted to venture out to paradise – somewhere like Jamaica. I’d suggested perhaps testing out travelling as a four on a shorter journey destination first! Also being so close to Christmas and Saajan’s first birthday, I didn’t fancy suffering with a week out due to jet lag and confused babies! We decided to go to Fuerteventura as it’s close, there’s no time difference and it’s a fab destination for a bit of winter sun. We were so impressed with Gran Canaria, we thought we’d try our another canary island!

We flew out via Gatwick simply as there were no flights from Heathrow on a Saturday. A blessing in disguise as we were so impressed with the hospitality and friendliness of the staff in addition to their extra service provided to families. The check in lady was absolutely lovely in reassuring Arjun that he’d be reunited with his luggage at the other end – he was having a melt down as he wanted to take our luggage on board the plane with us. We’ve done this so many times before, no idea what ticked him off this time!

There is a separate queue for families at security at Gatwick which we were so pleased about – we literally walked through and Arjun behaved so well – he had calmed down thanks to the check in lady (I really should have got her name!) who had gifted him with stickers. Again once you’ve walked through security, children are given stickers keeping him busy for a little longer!

In departures there’s also a soft play Kid Zone to keep them entertained while you wait which he played in for a while before he had a quick Nando’s breakfast.

We travelled with British Airways and thankfully it wasn’t a full flight – most of the back of the plane was empty which meant we had ample room to give the kids some space.

We’d ridiculously left the iPad at home by mistake so picked up a mini Samsung tablet (we’ve been meaning to get one anyway) at the airport. The iPad is used at times of desperation and as a last resort but given I was so so nervous about flying alone with a one to one ratio with the kids, I felt like I needed it!

I’d also picked up Arjun a small aeroplane set from the airport – it was actually really hard finding any toy so I settled for something with lots of parts – he loves role play and I knew it’d provide him with hours of fun.

Food wise we bought pasta and a few snacks from the airport for both the boys as we knew the food on board isn’t always great for kids.

Arjun was actually a dream onboard the flight (I wish I could say the same about the return trip!). He shared his toys with a very sweet girl on the plane, ate nicely and we didn’t even need the iPad/tablet!!! I couldn’t believe it! And he did that without sleeping a wink!

Saajan on the other hand was a bit of a pickle – just like his daddy, he can’t stand even the lightest bit of crowded heat! Preetam took him to the back of the plane to lay down where he was much happier and cooler!

Saajan was similar on the way back and Arjun was so so bored and wasn’t as interested in his magazine, the tablet or any toys! Thankfully it was a short flight!

Prior to arriving at the Sheraton Fuerteventura, I’d been conversing with them over email. They were beyond helpful with adhering to our needs. We were provided with all that we requested – a baby bath tub, a cot and a bottle steriliser. I found the staff very helpful and accommodating and it really did make our life a lot easier.

 

We went for a sea view junior suite for the extra room with the boys. The rooms are spacious but unlike most suites, this hotel combined the lounge and bedroom in to one separating the two with a television in the middle of the room. It took a little getting used to but actually combining the two meant that the entire space actually got used.

We were provided with an extra bed for Arjun (which he used to play on) and a cot for Saajan. Saajan was happy to sleep in his cot and Arjun jumped in to our giant bed (just like he does at home!). The bed was super comfy.

There was a dressing room which held all of our clothes – I loved how it was separated in to its own little room and it was large enough to store all of our clothed plus our suitcases.

The bathroom was separated over three rooms/areas. The one directly next to the dressing room contained a large room and mirrors and a his and hers sink area. There was then a glass wall separating that area from the bath tub which we used to give the boys a bath – it also had a Jacuzzi. There was also a shower included in this room. There was another small wall between the bathing area and the toilet which included a bidet.

Though the room was spacious, it could definitely do with some TLC – for example the bath tub required silicone and the ceiling had damp marks. The room also felt quite dated and dust had collected in the corners.

The location of this hotel was perfect for us. it made everything so so easy. The hotel is located on the beach and there’s a lovely walk way along the beach which we walked along every single morning. The beach was pleasant – there is a charge for the sun loungers but we were happy to sit closer to the sea on towels and enjoy the sea breeze while building sand castles! Thebeach was never crowded and we never had any issues finding a spot. There is a small shopping centre which has a Spar about a 5 minute walking distance from the hotel which we used frequently – one afternoon we picked up fresh baguettes, cheese, coleslaw and some salad and had our own picnic on the beach! There are a few restaurants at the shopping centre – we used the Indian one, Shivam Indian Restaurant, a few times as Arjun loves his desi food and we also ate at the Italian restaurant, Panna & Pomodoro, on the top floor which was delicious and had generous portions.

Given our mediocre experience of food in Gran Canaria, we didn’t have high expectations of the food at our Fuerteventura hotel but we were blown away by their dinner buffet! It was one of the best dinner buffets we’ve had – we really enjoyed their vegetable pie and quiche, the fresh selection of salads and vegetables and their chocolate bread and butter pudding was amazing!

The breakfast had a good selection for vegetarians – cooked breakfast, cheese, cereals and breads. I’d highly recommend their potato rostis! Delicious! There was also a selection of fresh juices and smoothies each morning. They also had ready made baby food jars.

 

The restaurant staff were incredibly friendly especially towards the kids – Ali and Diego in particular made a huge effort and it made the experience so much nicer.

I loved the outdoor landscaping at the hotel – I definitely have a preferred hotel type and this fit the bill! I love the large rocks and carved cave like feel surrounding the swimming pool. I also loved that the kids pool was right next to the main pool making it much easier for us to manage. There is a heated pool which was definitely required as there was a breeze. the kids pool is not heated so we didn’t take Saajan in there for long however Arjun didn’t seem to feel it at all! One of the things we loved most about this hotel was the number of sun beds and four poster loungers available – there was an abundance and there was no need to reserve beds and nor was it ever over crowded. we spoke to a few families that were visiting while we were who have stayed here previously and they said that even during school holidays there’s no need to reserve beds which was great to hear. There was no poolside food or drink service however there is a restaurant located right next to the pool and they were happy to deliver the food to your lounger if you ordered at the restaurant.

   

 

The hotel has a kids club located by the tennis court and the mini golf course, however as we went off peak, there wasn’t much going on and Arjun seemed much happier playing by the pool or building sandcastles at the beach!

 

The weather during December is around 19-23 degrees but there was a constant breeze requiring us to wrap up warm in the mornings and evenings and sometimes during the day. I’d recommend packing for all seasons when travelling to Fuerteventura during December. It’s known as the windy island even when it’s not winter! Our friends had warned us that some days would be cooler than others and had recommended we hire a car – we are so glad we did!

We managed to pick up a Hyundai i30 for a week including two car seats for £150 which was a bargain. We managed to visit several places and it gave us freedom to venture out as opposed to being stuck in doors on the days where it wasn’t suitable to be by the pool.

We visited the Oasis Safari Park which was one of the nicest zoo’s I’ve visited. it was a spontaneous decision on our first day and we had such a great time. The boys loved watching the sea lion show and it was our first time at a botanical garden full of different cactus’. Arjun’s favourite was seeing the crocodiles and Saajan’s was definitely watching the sea lions! You are also able to buy animal food to feed several animals while there.

The highlight of my trip was visiting the sand dunes – it was absolutely breath taking! There are miles of untouched white sand. We decided to stop off so that Preetam could have a quick splash in the sea. We ended up having a few hours of fun building sandcastles with literally only a lifeguard there. it was so peaceful and tranquil and it was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I felt really close to nature – away from all the hustle and bustle and stresses of life!

The country feels really spacious and not heavily populated – it felt really different to other places we’ve visited in that everywhere we went, we found we had ample space – the swimming pool, the beaches and even the roads.

We also visited Callejero – it had a market which had lots of clothing and handbags, larger shops and lots of food places. We stopped off at Hamburguesa where we had a beetroot falafel burger – the burgers were HUGE! They’re all homemade and tasted so good!

We also did a road trip to the mountains where we experienced breath taking views and got to see thousands of cute little squirrels.

Another top place to visit is Ajuy, the view was lovely but I’m not a fan of the rough black sand – Arjun was indifferent!

We would most definitely return to Fuerteventura and would stay at the Sheraton. We had a fantastic first family holiday as just us four where we created so many beautiful memories!